The present invention relates to a playing card wagering game that can be played with the higher ranking portion, said portion comprising the card ranks of Nine through Ace, of a typical fifty-two card Poker deck or conglomeration of multiple said portions or by video machine technology in a casino or home environment. In particular it does relate to a method and apparatus for playing a wagering game, wherein said game is not of Pinochle origin or set with rules for typical Pinochle play and provides players with the opportunity to make a plurality of separate bets or wagers during the course of the game.
There are many wagering games used for betting or chancing. Such games should be exciting to arouse players interest and uncomplicated so they can be easily understood by a large quantity of players. Ideally the games should offer more than one wagering opportunity during the course of the game, yet be able to be played swiftly to a wager resolving outcome. Wagering games particularly those intended for play in casinos should provide players with a sense of participation and control, the opportunity to make more than one card drawing and/or wagering decision and reasonable odds of winning although the odds favor the house or bank. The game must also accommodate the requirements of regulatory agencies.
The wagering game of the present invention may be played with the higher ranking cards or portion of a typical fifty-two card Poker deck, said portion comprising the card ranks of Nine through Ace. Card ranks of Two through Eight need not be used in the present invention. Said game does not involve the generally well recognized and accepted set of rules and procedures and hand resolving outcomes of typical Pinochle game play. The game method comprises of each player placing an initial wager (which may also be referred to herein as an initial bet) to participate in the game. The players are queried by a dealer to place their initial wagers into Common Betting Areas (CBAs) provided on the gaming table top. Players have the opportunity to place additional bets since the present invention offers players with multiple choices of separate wager opportunities for strategic game play on the basis of providing choices of, for example, Ranks, Zones and Ties wagering areas. After all players have made their additional bets, the dealer continues the hand by dealing cards in a typical fashion until a three of a kind match by rank has occurred in one or more dealer display card areas. If all distinct card positions in said areas are occupied with a card and said areas offer no three of a kind match by rank the hand is then over and declared a Tie. If a three of a kind match by rank occurs in either a display card area before or when all display card areas are occupied with a card, the dealer would query players of said three of a kind card match by rank and the hand is considered ended. The dealer queries the players of winning bets and prepares for the payouts of said bets and the collections of the losing bets.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the dealer uses a cup and playing dice outcome to determine first card position to allow random start of the game. Dealer pays out on the winning initial bets and collects the losing bets. Specifically, the participating players initial wager is a one part wager and is placed before the start-of-game playing die is rolled and before any cards are dealt by the dealer. Said initial wager is location restricted to only the Player-one zone wager area and to the Player-two zone wager area. Said zones are depicted by lettered words, for example, player-one zone wager area is depicted by the word xe2x80x9cONExe2x80x9d and the Player-two zone wager area is depicted by the word xe2x80x9cTWOxe2x80x9d in each CBA on the gaming table top. Said zones are common to the Player-one and Player-two display card areas also depicted by lettered words xe2x80x9cONExe2x80x9d and or xe2x80x9cTWOxe2x80x9d. Participating players are not playing against each other or against the dealer, but said initial wager is based on said players forecasting and betting on exactly where the location of, regarding said display card areas, the first card will be dealt after the start-of-game cup-die is rolled. After all players have placed said initial wager, dealer rolls said typical start-of-game playing die to determine which of the two display card areas (Player-one xe2x80x9cONExe2x80x9d or Player-two xe2x80x9cTWOxe2x80x9d) will receive the first card. Thus, for example, if the rolled die shows a number one, three or five then the Player-one display card area receives the first card dealt and if said die shows a number two, four or six then the Player-two display card area receives the first card dealt by the dealer. Dealer queries the players of the first card location and marks said location with a removable indicator apparatus. Dealer collects the losing players wagers and pays out even money (e.g., one to one, or three to one) to the winning players bets. Next the dealer queries the participating players that they can make additional bets by betting up to twenty-one separate bets in the depicted Common Betting Areas CBAs by physically placing said wagers onto the gaming table top into the depicted CBAs. Each CBA accommodates preferably two players but is not limited to said number of players. Next cards are dealt face up by the dealer to the Player-one display card areas distinct card positions and to the Player-two display card areas distinct card positions in a common typical staggered customary fashion. Said fashion is of a one for the Player-one display card area and then one for the Player-two display card area, said common method continuing until a three of a kind match by rank occurs in either the Player-one or the Player-two display card areas. Each said area comprises twelve separate and distinct card positions. Said card positions are segregated by a perforated vertical line every three card positions. Dealer continues dealing face up cards to both said areas positions only until a three of a kind match by rank occurs, leaving the remainder unused distinct card positions empty. If no three of a kind match by rank occurs, all distinct card positions in both the Player-one and Player-two display card areas will be occupied with a face up card. Said occurrence will consume a total of twenty-four face up cards and is declared a Tie hand. Dealer queries players of the winning bets and prepares for the payouts of said bets and the collections of the losing bets. Finally, the dealer resolves all bets by determining what payout, if any, each player is entitled to receive. Payouts are made to the winning hands according to a table or preselected payout schedule at that particular gaming table or casino, and the losing or non winning hands are collected by the dealer or house. Dealer collects the played or used cards and places said cards into the used card collection apparatus on the gaming table top and then prepares for the next new hand.
Apparatus is disclosed for playing the wagering game according to the method outlined above. A typical gaming table with a playing surface includes three Common Betting Areas CBAs, a Player-one display card area, a Player-two display card area, and six player positions.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the participating players initial wager is a one part wager and is placed before any cards are dealt by the dealer. Said initial wager is location restricted to only the Rank zone wager areas. Said zone wager areas are depicted by the capital lettered initials and numbers of A,K,Q,J, 10 and 9 and are area located in each of the three CBAs. Said players can place additional wagers into any of the five Zone wager areas depicted by the capital numbers of 1 through 5. Each said player can also place an additional wager into the Tie wager area depicted by the word Tie in each said CBA. Participating players are not playing against each other or against the dealer, but said initial wager is based on said players forecasting and betting on exactly what Rank regarding Ace through Nine a three of kind match by rank will occur. After all players have placed said initial wager each participating player can wager on a TIE or exactly in what Zone, for example, Zones 1,2,3,4 or 5, the said three of a kind match by rank will occur. Each said Zone comprises one two or six distinct card positions, wherein said Zone 5 comprises six said card positions, and Zones 1 and 2 comprise two card positions and Zones 3 and 4 comprise one said card position, thus having twelve total distinct card positions. Each CBA accommodates preferably two participating players but is not limited to said number of players. Next cards are dealt face up by the dealer and placed into the said distinct card positions in the dealer display card area in the customary fashion until a three of a kind match by rank occurs. Dealer only continues dealing face up cards until a three of a kind match by rank occurs thus leaving the remainder unused distinct card positions empty. Said card positions may be segregated by, for example, a perforated vertical line starting after the first six distinct card positions, said segregation occurring and continuing every one card position for two positions then every two positions thereafter. Thus, for example, if all twelve distinct card positions are occupied with a face up card and said dealer display area still offers no three of a kind match by rank then the hand is deemed a Tie. A true Tie hand consumes a total of twelve face up cards. Dealer queries players of said TIE or of a three of a kind match and collects the losing players wagers and pays out money or chips to the winning players bets. Dealer queries players of the winning bets and prepares for the payouts of said bets and the collections of the losing bets. Finally, the dealer resolves all bets by determining what payout, if any, each player is entitled to receive. Payouts are made to the winning hands according to a table or predetermined payout schedule at that particular gaming table or casino, and the losing or non winning hands are collected by the dealer or house. Dealer collects the played or used cards and places said cards into the used card collection apparatus on the gaming table top and then prepares for the next new hand.
Apparatus is disclosed for playing the wagering game according to the method outlined above. A typical gaming table with a playing surface includes specific areas that provide locations for player positions, placing of the wagers and for displaying cards.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new approach to the wagering game industry, by detouring from the typical Poker game variations such as Five and Seven Card Stud.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a card game that is based on plural wagering decisions. It is another aim of the present invention to provide the opportunity for players to make many decisions by giving said players the chance to make plural wagers or bets per hand.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a unique and exciting card game for play in casinos or at home on various media including casino tables and or video machines.
It is an advantage of the game of the present invention that multiple wagering decisions are inherent to the game. The game enhances the players sense of participation and takes advantage of players inclination to make more than one wager decision, thereby providing an opportunity for the house to gain or profit due to player error.